OMAHA, Neb. – Mike Gabinet’s club hadn’t scored a first-period goal through its first six games, while this weekend’s opponent – No. 14 Western Michigan – carried a reputation of starting fast into Baxter Arena.
The Mavericks held the Broncos at bay early Friday night and Harrison Israels ended the first-period drought 12:22 into the contest, tucking a short-handed goal into the WMU cage.
However, Omaha’s offensive woes continued from there, as the Mavericks suffered a 2-1 loss to open NCHC play.
“We’ve got to get better,” Gabinet said. “Nobody’s coming to save us and we’ve got the guys we’ve got. We’ve got to get better.”
The loss extends Omaha’s losing streak to five games and it’s the fifth time Omaha has scored two or fewer goals through seven games. Omaha has just 10 goals this season and only six of them have come at even strength. Three of the 10 came in one period too at Minnesota State (Oct. 25).
Omaha remains win-less at Baxter Arena as well and has dropped three straight home games for the first time since the start of the 2022-23 season.
https://x.com/omahahky/status/1855088728571888139?s=46
Western Michigan scored both of its tallies in the second period Friday night and the Mavs were out-shot 24-9 in the middle frame, and 50-29 overall.
Omaha also squandered a golden opportunity early in the third period with a 1:51-long 5-on-3 power play. Yet the Mavs generated just two shots and spent much of the advantage circling the perimeter – dropping Omaha’s power play to 2-for-24 (8.3%) on the season.
“It’s got to be better,” Gabinet said. “It’s got to be better – 5-on-3 and you’re not producing much on that. So we’ve got to have that urgency that I talked about on Wednesday to attack and we’ll have to look at it and make some adjustments, because it’s got to be better.”
https://hurrdatsports.com/omavs-hockey/mavericks-hockey-aims-to-improve-early-power-play-woes
A lot needs to improve if the Mavs want to regain their form from last spring and return to the NCAA Tournament. However, Friday’s loss certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort from the home side, especially early.
Despite allowing multiple chances in the opening minutes, Omaha turned in an excellent final 15 minutes of the first period, scoring twice – although the first of the night was taken off the board via a Western Michigan challenge.
Zach Urdahl finished a 3-on-2 rush at the 7:04 mark, taking a Jimmy Glynn feed and burying a spinning backhand shot in the slot. Urdahl’s goal would’ve been his fifth of the season but the senior forward was offsides on the play.
Harrison Israels scored his first Maverick goal in the first period Friday night. The Alaska transfer has played in all seven games to open this season.
Israels followed suit roughly five minutes later, angling his first Maverick goal past Cameron Rowe after Jacob Slipec drove the puck down the near wall and to the net. The Mavs were flying on the ensuing three shifts too, generating chances and buzzing around the Bronco zone – ultimately carrying the lead into the first intermission.
“We stuck to the game plan and really good details to our game,” Gabinet said. “You know you’re gonna get your opportunities and when you get Grade-A chances against these guys at times, you have to capitalize. But I just liked our decision-making in the first period.”
Yet the lead vanished from there.
Alex Bump broke the ice at the 5:44 mark, squeezing a shot past Simon Latkoczy and Tristan Lemyre scored near the end of the second period, cleaning up a loose puck at the edge of the crease.
Bump and Matteo Costantini picked up assists on Lemyre’s goal as the top-line trio – which entered the night with zero even-strength goals – took advantage of an Omaha turnover and went in on a 3-on-2 the other way, netting the eventual game-winner.
Western Michigan dominated the second-period shot count and the Broncos had 15 shots through the first 12 minutes of the period – many of which were high-quality. The Broncos hit the iron twice too, including Garrett Szydlowski’s shot off the crossbar just five seconds into Omaha’s first power-play chance of the night, which came 1:32 into the second.
“I liked our first period and then a couple unfortunate mistakes in the second and third,” Gabinet said. “Just not good enough.”
Omaha had its chances in the third period – the 5-on-3 power play being the biggest – and Gabinet pulled Latkoczy for the extra attacker with 90 seconds left too. However, the Mavs – who are dealing with multiple injuries on top of their scoring woes – fell short once again.
Game 2 between Omaha (2-5-0, 0-1-0) and No. 14 Western Michigan (4-1-0, 1-0-0) is set for another 7:07 p.m. faceoff on Saturday at Baxter Arena. Omaha will then head to Arizona State next weekend.
Final line
Omaha 1-0-0 – 1
Western Michigan 0-2-0 – 2
First Period
Harrison Israels (Jacob Slipec), 12:22, SHG
Second Period
Alex Bump (Cole Crusberg-Roseen), 5:44, EV
Tristan Lemyre (Bump, Matteo Costantini), 17:29, EV
Third Period
None
SOG
Omaha 15-9-5 – 29
Western Michigan 13-24-13 – 50
Power Play
Omaha – 0/3
Western Michigan – 0/2
Saves
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha: 13-22-13 – 48
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan: 14-9-5 – 28
Attendance
6,683
